“The beauty of working in a brand new field and job, is the opportunity to learn in leaps!” – Momma Braga

It has always been in our family plans that I would go back to work one day as a second income in our household can help us financially breathe a little easier. With my mom’s retirement this month and with her plans to take care of my daughter. It was time for this momma to re-enter the workforce.

I have not been in the workforce for two and a half years since I had my daughter. At the time I did have employment which I unfortunately was laid off from prior to the end of my maternity leave. But I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason.

During my two and half years I always stayed in touch with everyone that I knew as networking is so important in today’s world. I was fortunate enough that a few of my connections always mentioned that when I was ready to go back to work to let them know as they would have an opportunity for me.

So that is exactly what happened and I am so fortunate. I got a position as an Executive Assistant with a growing construction company in Toronto. This field is very different from my fundraising and social services background but that’s what makes this so intriguing to me!

Most of my time we will be in the office doing the behind the scenes coordination and organizing with the daily everyday business. I am the owner’s right hand in ensuring that everything is getting done and in a timely fashion. There are many other pieces of my new job that I will slowly be learning and doing which makes each day feel exciting! I also have the opportunity to visit the sites to check in with our projects too. It is such a diverse role that appears to have been made just with me in mind. 🙂

My first week went well and I enjoyed every day of it. I guess when you really enjoy what you are doing, it makes the week go by really quickly.

I learned so much already such as linear and square footage; different types of trades and their responsibilities; invoicing; quoting; etc. There is so much more but it would make this blog post way too long to read! But you will have to tune in to Momma Braga to read about my progress in the construction world as I am sure there will be so much more this year!

I think my favorite part of my first work week was being able to visit some work sites and see what the skilled trades do (I also get to wear awesome safety boots which are super comfy! They sure beat wearing high heels for 8hrs). It is simply amazing the work that goes into making a home. Much respect to them who despite the weather are working hard to ensure that deadlines are being met.

So week one is now complete with a lot of settling in, learning and just feeling great about myself. It really felt great to be working again and contributing financially to my family. Looking forward to seeing where this adventure takes me and to make my own mark in a whole new world!

Even though I will be working full-time and fulfilling my duties as a mom, I will still be here as Momma Braga. I am working on some exciting new articles and my next one is how my daughter has been transitioning from being with mommy 24/7 to being with grandma.

About The Author

Melanie Braga graduated from Humber College with a Social Service Worker diploma. She has over 15 years in the non-profit sector, helping the most vulnerable in Toronto communities. The last seven years she stepped into the fundraising world where she built strong relationships with her donors and her event coordinating ability became an asset. Melanie is also a mother of one and started a blog called, Momma Braga. This platform was established to document her journey in life and in parenthood. She hopes that through her posts, she can inspire and help others. Her readers have commented on her raw, honest and emotional stories. Melanie has already made an impact on a few of her readers in a positive way.